TRANSCRIPT
- Senator Fatima Payman says her decision to leave the Labor Party was not premeditated
- Breakthrough in negotiations for a hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas
- Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag signs for another season
Former Labor and now-independent Senator Fatima Payman insists her decision to leave the party was not premeditated.
The West Australian Senator announced on Thursday she will now sit on the cross bench following an indefinite suspension over her support for a Greens motion to recognize Palestinian statehood.
The prime minister claimed in parliament on Wednesday Senator Payman had had a strategy for leaving the party in place for more than a month.
In an interview with SBS World News, Senator Payman dismissed those claims as false.
She said attempts to pressure her to follow the party line, including from the Prime Minister, did not amount to bullying, but said senior members' reactions to her crossing the floor had left with her no choice.
"It definitely made me feel like I didn't belong, made me feel like there was no return for me in the Labor party, even though everyone claimed that the door was open and I should just come back to the tent. This was a red line that I had to draw, and if we can't be true our party platform, then what we really here for."
In Question Time on Thursday Mr Albanese denied he had used intimidating or aggressive language in his meeting with the senator, saying she had messaged him to inform him of her resignation, thanking him for his leadership.
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Federal politicians have hit out at protesters who scaled Parliament House on Thursday and unfurled banners alleging the Australian government was complicit in war crimes and genocide in Gaza.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the pro-Palestinian protesters should feel the full force of the law, saying their actions had undermined democracy.
ACT police arrested three men and one woman, who are expected to be charged with federal trespass offences.
The group Renegade Activists has claimed responsibility for the protest, after voluntarily leaving the rooftop after several hours.
Following the protest, House of Representatives Speaker Milton Dick made the decision to bar members of the public from sitting in the chamber for the session.
"I do not want a repeat of today's events. As an update, I can advise advise the House, today's protesters have received penalties and are no longer welcome in this building. They have been banned from this building. Additionally, following recent events in this house, I have already commenced a process for strengthening this framework, including the introduction of additional consequences."
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The White House has revealed there's been a breakthrough in negotiations for a hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas.
A senior official has told Reuters Hamas has made a significant adjustment in its position over a potential hostage release deal with Israel.
The official says there's hope it's a productive step toward a permanent ceasefire, but there are still issues related to the implementation of the agreement.
It's expected there won't be a deal closed for a number of days.
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Voters in the UK are choosing a new government in an election expected to bring the Labour Party to power amid economic dissatisfaction and growing distrust in institutions.
A jaded electorate is delivering its verdict on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's Conservative Party, which has been in power since 2010.
Polls opened at 40,000 stations, including churches, a laundromat and a crematorium.
James Erskine from London came out to vote.
“I think nothing has gone well in the last 14 years, and I think it’s really important that the right result happens. I was even excited that we might get a different opposition to the big two parties. I don’t actually think that will happen, but that would be amazing. I just see this as the potential for a seismic shift, and that’s what I’m hoping for.”
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An international team of of Australian and Indonesian archaeologists have discovered the oldest example of figurative cave art in the world.
The paintings, found on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, the paintings are believed to be 51,200 years old, 6000 years older than previous record holder.
The images, which depict a wild pig and three human-animal hybrids, are hard to date requiring lasers to accurately identify when calcium layers started to form on top of them.
Adam Brumm, Professor of Archaeology at Griffith University, says he hopes the technology can pave the way for new discoveries in Australia.
"We had these little, what are known as coraloid speliothems, commonly known as cave popcorn... they're comprised of tiny little layers of calcium carbonate. And we can date when those layers of calcium carbonate."
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Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has signed a contract extending his stay with the club to 2026.
The Dutch manager has been facing uncertainties lately after leading the club to their worst league finish in 34 years last season.
He started strong as manager with back-to-back wins in his first two years at the club.
Despite the uncertainties, a performance review saw Manchester United make the decision to stick with ten Hag and extend the contract which was due to finish up at the end of next season.
